WebMD Community Talk Show

Yes, I feel children should not be able to get their hands onto these drinks. I have seen to many children end up in the E.R because of rapid heart rates and stomach issues.
Even adults should be careful when drinking these they are very high in sugar and caffeine which could cause your body to react in many different ways. From fast heart rate, getting shacky, dizzy and so much more.
I my self would not use them I would much rather drink water and eat something that is good for me then drink one of these drinks.

no. let me say that again. NO!
and before i get started, let me also admit that i do not think the state should ID when purchasing cigarettes or alcohol either.

now before you all go crazy with the name calling, let me further admit that i don't think children should consume alcohol or smoke cigarettes (we know they do). neither do i think children should consume bags of potato chips or cans of soda (we know they do). i don't think children should have sexual intercourse (we know they do).

and all for the same reason...because it poses a danger to their health. the same danger it poses to adults' health.

and parents should teach their children these health dangers; schools should teach children these health dangers; athletic coaches should teach children these health dangers.

BUT THE STATE SHOULD NOT PLAY THE ROLE OF PARENT AND RESTRICT ANYONE'S RIGHT TO PURCHASE AND CONSUME WHAT WE MAY ALL AGREE ARE POTENTIAL DANGERS TO OUR HEALTH.

if it is legal to produce it, it should be legal to purchase it. if energy drinks pose such a health danger, then outlaw their production/distribution/consumption as we do marijuana and cocaine.

know what else poses a danger to children? elmer's glue, listerine, and sharpie permanent markers (when not used the way you think they should be used.) should we ID for those too?

getting pregnant at 13 poses a health danger to a child. anyone think we should enforce chastity belts? how about crossing the street without looking both ways?

THE STATE DOES A $#!%%& ENOUGH JOB ALREADY PROVIDING FOR BASIC SERVICES AND ENSURING OUR COLLECTIVE DEFENSE.

how many of you actually think IDing children requiring them to be a minimum age will stop enough of them from consuming energy drinks to justify the cost to enforce this law?

let's call a spade a spade...such a law will have one purpose, and only one purpose...state revenue. and all of that state revenue will not have saved the life of the child who drank enough energy drinks in a single sitting to affect his/her biology enough to make them think they more more invincible than they already thought they were and ended up in an emergency room.

...know what would have saved that child...actual parenting.

but sometimes children have to grow up on their own, despite both parenting and the mommy-state.

bet that's what you did too.

I think there should be a minimum IQ level for purchase of energy drinks.

There probably should be a minimum IQ for doing a lot of things -- but I don't think that many of us are ready for that type of government intrusion into our lives.

It is a thought, however. And yes, I do think that IDing for energy drinks is a topic which should be discussed with proposals evaluated. I'm not in favor of regulation where not needed but I do feel that sometimes manufacturers and marketers come up with products faster than the public -- especially minors -- are able to understand them and successfully incorporate them into their lifestyles.

Is it kids who are overdosing on this, or adults? I don't see what the use of IDing people is if age isn't a contributing factor to the behavior.

I don't see how it makes sense to ID for energy drinks and not coffee.

No I don't think anyone should be IDed for energy drinks. Think about it if you were 15 would you be like WTF if you tried buying a energy drink and couldnt because you were IDed its not like its alchole or smokes. Kids are doing FAR worse things than drinking enegy drinks. Also I know for a fact if it came down to needing to be IDed for energy drinks kids would just start going to whomever is old enough to get them just like they do with smokes and alchole....just saying it wont stop them.

I think when something is dangerous enough to send folks to the ER, then maybe we should look into making a minimum age requirement to purchase it.

Adults are adults and welcome to do stupid things to themselves, but keep in mind that kids' brains aren't fully developed, so they tend to do dumb things without knowing (or sometimes having the facts) how dumb those things are.

We banned energy drinks in our house, but there are plenty of our kids' friends who are still drinking them, and even bringing them in school lunches as a beverage.

If I have to pull out my ID for one more thing in order to keep kids safe I am willing to do that.

Donald

At first I though yes, but then I read your opinion. I agree with you. Having an age limit on alcohol doesn't stop under age people from getting ahold of it, and even though drugs are illegal they are still everywhere. No law is going to stop kids from getting things that they want if they want it bad enough. You mad a very good and valid point; Parents need to actually put effort into raising their children right if they don't want them to go out and do all these things. Parents have gotten very lazy about teaching manners, morals, and enforcing right and wrong these days, that's why it seems each generation is worse than the one before.

But that's the thing, you are teaching your kids appropriate behavior. Other parents should follow your lead and teach their children why Energy drinks are bad for them. The state shouldn't have to take over the parenting role by putting an age limit on them. If kids really want an energy drink, they'll do the same thing they do for alcohol; find sombody of age to go get it for them.

I do not think there should be a minimum age when it comes to energy drinks. I believe the younger a person is, the less they should drink. If it's a three year old, don't give the kid any. They are wild enough. A six or seven year old could handle half a glass maybe. Anyone over the age of 12 should be responsible enough to know when enough is enough. I'm 19 and I have actually drunk two cans of Monster in one evening and I so regret that because I nearly fell asleep in church the next morning because it kept me awake til 5 in the morning! If you're a nightowl like me, I'd totally recommend it, but please be careful. Energy drinks are not for the fainthearted and I don't recommend it to anyone who is already hyper like me!